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23136 Company Sergeant Major
FRANK PEARCE
Royal Engineers

By

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Edward De Santis, MSCE, BSAE, P.E., MinstRE
(1994, revised 2022)

Figure 1. Crest of the Corps of Royal Engineers (Victorian)
(Image courtesy of Stuart Gase)

1. INTRODUCTION

This research project was begun in 1994 when the author acquired Company Sergeant Major Pearce’s Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. At that time very little information could be found regarding Pearce’s life or military service. Contact had been made in 1994 with Mrs. Doris Russell of Crawley, West Sussex, who knew Pearce when she was a child. According to Mrs. Russell, Pearce was still serving until at least 1923. A death certificate for Frank Pearce had been obtained in 1994 and the year of his birth was estimated to be 1866 from his date of death and his age shown on the certificate. This was about all that was known about him at that time.

In August 2022 the project was revived. Ancestry.com produced a large amount of material regarding Pearce’s life and military service including family trees, census returns from England and Ireland between 1871 and 1911 and copies of his military service papers for his original service between 1888 and 1909 and his Army Reserve service during the Great War of 1914 to 1918. Although a wealth of information was found there undoubtedly are some errors in this work. A number of these errors are the results of the poor penmanship used to make entries in Pearce's service papers. The author has attempted to decipher them as accurately as possible, but some of the handwritten entries defied attempts to understand them. Hopefully the account of Pearce’s life that is presented here is as accurate as could be made given the obstacles encountered.

2. FAMILY INFORMATION AND EARLY LIFE

Family Information

Grandparents

Frank Pearce’s grandparents were William Pearce (1792-1882) and Elizabeth Pearce (1793-1878), née Cole. William had been born in the village of Brown Candover in Hampshire and he was a Shepperd by trade. The nearest town to the village of Brown Candover is New Alresford, about 5 miles away.

Elizabeth Cole was born in West Stratton, Hampshire, a village in the civil parish of Micheldever in the City of Winchester, which lies about 7.8 miles southwest of the village.¹

Parents

Like his grandfather, Frank’s father, Ezekiel Pearce (1826-1878), an agricultural labourer, was born in Brown Candover. His mother, Fanny Hoare (1822-1876) was born in Brighton, Sussex. Ezekiel and Fanny were married in October of 1854 in Winchester. Fanny Hoare had a married daughter from a previous marriage. She was Elizabeth Hobbs (1843-1921) who had been born in Itchen Stoke, Hampshire. Elizabeth was Frank’s half-sister. The identity of Elizabeth’s father is unknown.²

Early Life

Frank Pearce was born in Weston, Petersfield, Hampshire on 11 October 1866. Petersfield is a market town and civil parish in east Hampshire about 15 miles north of Portsmouth. Frank was baptized in Buriton, Hampshire, a village about 2 miles south of Petersfield, on 4 November 1866.³

In July 1870 Frank’s future wife, Henrietta Waller (1870-?) was born in Havant, Hampshire, the daughter of James Waller (1828-1881), a Carter, and Jane Waller (1830-?), née Searle. Havant is a town in the southeast corner of Hampshire between Portsmouth and Chichester.⁴

The 1871 Census of England shows the composition of the Pearce family as summarized in the table below.

1871 Census of England

NOTES:

1. Weston appears to have been such a small village that addresses were listed as “cottages” and “town houses” rather than with individual street names.

2. Elizabeth Potter was the daughter of Fanny Hoare. Elizabeth had married one Emmanuel Lewis Potter (1832-1875) in Portsea, Hampshire in 1863. Potter had served in the Royal Marine Artillery and was the father of Harry and Alfred. There is some confusion regarding Elizabeth Potter and Elizabeth Hobbs previously mentioned as Fanny’s daughter. Either the family tree or the census has confused these two women in some way, or the author has confused them while trying to interpret the family trees.

Prior to joining the Army Frank Pearce worked as an Apprentice Whitesmith and Carpenter for one William Cook in Petersfield.⁵ He left his father’s home and took up residence in the household of one Henry Hall in Buriton. The 1881 Census provides the following information regarding Henry Hall’s residence:

1881 Census of England

2. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a description of Frank Pearce in 1888 when he entered the Army.

3. RECRUITMENT, ENLISTMENT AND TRAINING

Recruitment

In 1888 Frank Pearce decided to enlist in the Army and since he possessed the skills of a Whitesmith and a Carpenter in seemed that the Royal Engineers would be the Corps for him to join. He approached a local Recruiting Sergeant at Portsmouth and on 12 September 1888 he was administered a medical examination by one Major J. Riddick, the Medical Officer of the 37^th (North Hampshire) Regimental District. Pearce was found to be fit for military service and his physical description on enlistment is as shown above.

Enlistment

On 13 September 1888, after having been administered his final medical examination, Pearce attested for a short service enlistment the Colours. During his attestation he claimed that he had been an Apprentice Whitesmith⁶ in Petersfield with Wm. Cook, that he was not married, he had never been imprisoned, he had never served in any of Her Majesty’s forces and that he was willing to be vaccinated (against smallpox).

On 14 September 1888 Pearce was administered a Primary Military Examination by a Lieutenant of the 37^th Regimental District. This was essentially an examination given to a recruit to assess his aptitude for military service. Following this examination Pearce was issued a Certificate of the Approving Field Officer – the Colonel of the 37^th Regimental District – and he became 23136 Sapper Frank Pearce, Royal Engineers.

Training

Sapper Pearce was immediately posted to the School of Military Engineering (SME) at Chatham, Kent on 15 September for his recruit training. Pearce’s recruit training began with the basics that were required for each man to learn to be a soldier. This involved military customs, the wearing of his uniform and insignia, military discipline and the use, care, and maintenance of his weapon. Following a period of basic training, Pearce then received the training necessary to make him an engineer soldier. This involved such field engineering subjects as tunnelling, trench-building, bridging, and other skills necessary to support the infantry and artillery in the field. While he was undergoing training at the SME he was on the roles of the 11^th Field Company, R.E. for administrative purposes. On 22 November he was revaccinated against smallpox (for the 7^th and 8^th time!) with perfect results.⁷

5. POSTINGS, ASSIGNMENTS AND CAMPAIGN SERVICE

Shorncliffe 1889-1892)

Following about a year of training at the School of Military Engineering, Sapper Pearce was posted to the 26^th Field Company, R.E. at Shorncliffe on 16 December 1889. It is interesting to note that following his recruit training, Pearce left Chatham as a Gasfitter with a rating of “Good.” This is somewhat surprising as in his years prior to joining the Army he worked as a Whitesmith and Carpenter, but his experience with these trades did not seem to interest the Corps.

Shorncliffe was a large training facility and a staging facility for units headed abroad. Pearce’s company was charged with construction and maintenance of the roads, buildings and other structures at Shorncliffe as well as its own program of military training. In 1890, while Pearce was serving there, the hutted camp facilities were replaced with permanent facilities known as Moore Barracks, Napier Barracks, Ross Barracks, Royal Engineers Barracks (later known as Burgoyne Barracks) and Somerset Barracks.⁸ His company surely played a part in this construction.

On 13 September 1890 Sapper Pearce was awarded Good Conduct Pay at the rate of 1d. (one penny) per day. The 1891 Census shows his residence as the Royal Engineers Camp, Folkestone, Cheriton, Kent under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Allan J.C. Cunningham, R.E. Pearce is listed as a 23-year-old, unmarried Sapper along with numerous other soldiers of the Royal Engineers.

Curragh (1892-1894)

On 17 October 1892 Sapper Pearce arrived at Curragh Camp in Ireland. By 1893, during the time that Pearce was there, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) the Curragh was Major-General Lord Ralph D. Kerr CB. The garrison consisted of the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment (18th Foot), the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers (20th Foot), and the 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment (31st Foot). In 1894, the Worcestershires were replaced by the 2nd Battalion the Hampshire Regiment (67th Foot).

During the years that Pearce was posted there the 23^rd, 37^th and 38^th Field Companies were posted at the Curragh. Unfortunately, Pearce’s service papers do not indicate with which company he served during his time there. On 6 October 1893 Pearce was awarded a Third Class Certificate of Education. The third-class certificate specified the standard for promotion to the rank of corporal: the candidate was to read aloud and to write from dictation passages from an easy narrative, and to work examples in the four compound rules of arithmetic and the reduction of money. Pearce was appointed a Lance Corporal on 21 February 1894 and on 13 September 1894 he was awarded Good Conduct Pay at the rate of 2d.

Aldershot (1894-1895)

After just over two years’ service at the Curragh, Lance Corporal Pearce was posted to Aldershot in Hampshire. Again, his service papers do not indicate with which unit he served. He diligently continued his Army education and on 26 November 1894 he was awarded the Second Class Certificate of Education. A second-class certificate, necessary for promotion to sergeant, entailed writing and dictation from a more difficult work, familiarity with all forms of regimental accounting, and facility with proportions and interest, fractions and averages. Obviously dedicated to a career in the military, Lance Corporal Pearce extended to complete 12 years of service with the Colours on 20 May 1895 prior to completing his required 8 years of service. This extension appears to have paved the way for him to receive additional specialized training at Chatham.

Chatham (1895-1898)

Pearce arrived at Chatham on 1 November 1895 to attend the SME Electric Lighting and Submarine Mining Course. While at the school he was promoted to the rank of 2^nd Corporal on 1 September 1896. His training at Chatham during this period was of a specialized nature and included the firing of mines and electric searchlights diving in coast defense, underwater demolition, guided torpedoes (Brennan torpedo) and port wreck clearance. He successfully completed this course on 15 January 1897 and was posted to the 1^st (Fortress) Company in Ireland.

Cork Harbor (1898-1902)

Pearce arrived at Cork Harbor on 11 February 1898. The role of a fortress company was much different that that of the field companies to which Pearce had previously been assigned. The 1^st (Fortress) Company had the mission of assisting in the defense of ports and harbors that had significant military importance. This was accomplished using mines and searchlights and by supporting the Royal Artillery garrison co-located with the fortress company. A Royal Engineers fortress company typically would provide the following services in defense of ports and harbors:

• Construction and maintenance of fortifications and gun emplacements.

• Construction of ammunition storage areas and magazines.

• Construction and maintenance of roadways.

• Water supply to units manning the fortifications.

• Supply of electricity to installations within the fortress area.

• Provide searchlight support to anti-shipping artillery batteries.

• Provide engineer works in and around the harbor and port areas.

Early in January of 1899 he took leave and travelled home and married Henrietta Eliza Waller (1870-?) on 5 January at the Congregational Church in the district of Petersfield, with leave; that is, he married with the permission of his commanding officer. Pearce was placed on the married roll on the date of his marriage. His commanding officer must have anticipated his promotion to Corporal and on 1 April 1899 Pearce was promoted. Corporals and men had this concession to marry with leave made them on condition of their having served seven years, and that they have two good conduct badges, and prove that they have 5 Pounds in the savings bank. Pearce met these requirements. He was fortunate, as only 4 percent of the Corporals in any unit of the Royal Engineers were granted this concession.⁹

On 18 April 1900 he re-engaged to complete 21 years of service with the Colours. He was now fully committed to a career in the Army. The 1901 Census of Ireland, taken on 31 March, showed Corporal Pearce and his new wife living at Barrack Street, Dundalk Urban No. 4 in County Louth, Ireland. As Dundalk is a considerable distance from Cork (just over 200 miles), Corporal Pearce must have been posted with a detachment of the 1^st (Fortress) Company that was working at the port of Dundalk.

Frank Pearce was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on 1 April 1901 while he was still serving with the 1^st (Fortress) Company in Ireland. Early in 1902 he was posted to the 6^th (Fortress) Company under the command of Captain Charles Napier North, R.E.

South Africa (1902-1905)

The war in South Africa had ended by the time that Sergeant Pearce was posted to the 6^th (Fortress) Company on 11 April 1902. He then proceeded to South Africa where he arrived on 3 March 1903. By then the South African War, which had lasted from 11 October 1899 to 31 May 1902, was over and Pearce did not qualify for either of the medals awarded for that war. At some point during his service in South Africa he was transferred to the 47^th Field Company and on 16 September 1904 he was granted Service Pay, Class I at 7d. Service Pay was granted to men in the Royal Engineers, in addition to their regular pay, who demonstrated proficiency in their military trades. Service Pay was awarded in seven classes, with Class I being the highest. Sergeant Pearce received the highest class. Five months later he returned to England.

Chatham (1905-1906)

Sergeant Pearce was posted to “G” Company of the Royal Engineers Depot Battalion on 11 February 1905, perhaps as an instructor at the SME, where he served for about 17 months.

Aldershot (1906-1909)

By 21 July 1906 Sergeant Pearce was serving in the 17^th Field Company and in September 1906, after completing 18 years of service, he was awarded the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. On 1 May 1908 he was promoted to Company Sergeant Major of the 5^th Field Company which was at that time a unit of the 2^nd Division.

Pearce subsequently transferred to the 11^th Field Company and was discharged upon completion of his second period of limited engagement on 12 September 1909. His service from 1888 to 1909 is summarized in the table below.

Frank Peace’s military service was rather unusual in that he had 10 postings during his 21 years with the Colours, most of them lasting only two years or less. The dates and durations of the postings shown in the table above can only be considered to be approximate as his military service papers were somewhat incomplete. His time in Ireland, that is, his time served between the Curragh and Dundalk is especially approximate as is his total time in South Africa. While the table shows that he spent 2 years and 300 days in South Africa, his service papers indicate that that he was only there for one year and 345 days. It appears that the travel time from Ireland to South Africa to Chatham may not have been counted in the one year and 345 days. Additionally, some of his shorter postings of less than a year to Chatham and Aldershot may actually have been temporary postings while he was en route to permanent stations.

6. DISCHARGE

Although Frank Pearce was discharge from the Army in 1909, the Army was not through with him and he was not through with the Army. Following his discharge in 1909 it appears that Frank Pearce was designated a Special Reservist and he continued to live and work in Aldershot working as a Turncock at the camp, as shown in the 1911 Census of England and Wales.

1911 Census of England and Wales

It appears that in addition to his Army pension, Pearce also was drawing a salary from the War Office for his work as a Turncock for the Army Camp at Aldershot. A Turncock was an individual who was employed at the local waterworks. He controlled the supply of water in the main streets and turned off the water supply in the case of leakage. He would visit consumers’ premises, on request, to turn off the water supply if necessary. In some areas he would be present at flushing operations to record the length of time that operations were in progress and to calculate charges due, if any. Sometimes he would accompany the fire brigade to regulate water supply at high pressure. His income was sufficient for him to employ a servant in his home.

His work at Aldershot continued until 1914 when the Great War began in Europe. As a member of the Army Reserve, Pearce went to Chatham and on 2 September 1914 he attested for one year of service. His one year of service would eventually stretch to four years in France and Flanders and at home. Mrs. Pearce and their daughter Helen remained at their residence in Aldershot while Frank was away.

Attestation (1914)

Although he had served in the Army for 21 years, it was necessary for him to go through the entire enlistment procedure again to rejoin the Colours in 1914. He went through the long list of questions during the attestation procedure on 2 September 1914 where he indicated that:

• His place of birth had been the Parish of Buriton, near the Town of Petersfield in the county of Hants.

• He was a British Subject.

• Age: 47 years, 326 days.

• Trade: Whitesmith.

• Residence: Aldershot.

• Apprenticed under a Mr. Cook – expired in 1888.

• Married.

• Never imprisoned.

• Not presently in His Majesty’s Forces.

• Had previously served in the Royal Engineers for 21 years.

• Willing to be revaccinated.

Following the formalities associated with his re-enlistment he was posted to the Royal Engineers Depot at Chatham as a Sapper, Regimental Number 44402 and was then immediately promoted to Company Sergeant Major in recognition of his old rank and experience when he was discharged in 1909. He was described as follows during his enlistment:

• Height: 5 feet 9 inches.

• Weight: 145 pounds.

• Chest fully expanded: 37½ inches.

• Range of expansion: 2 inches.

• Eyes: Brown.

• Hair: Grey.

• Religious denomination: Wesleyan.

Following his medical examination, he was certified fit for the Army Reserve and his military examination determined him to be fit for service in the Royal Engineers. His attestation was immediately certified by the approving officer and CSM Frank Pearce was back in uniform.

Posting (1914-1915)

Organization

On 3 September 1914 Frank Pearce was posted to the 62^nd Field Company at Aldershot as a Warrant Officer Class II. This company was part of the 14^th (Light) Division, one of Lord Kitchener’s First New Army units (K1). The Division came into existence as a result of Army Order No. 324, issued on 21 August 1914, which authorized the formation of the six new Divisions of K1. It was formed of volunteers. At first it was numbered the 8th (Light) Division, but as more regular army units became available to create a Division, they were given precedence and this was renumbered as the 14th (Light) Division. Initially without equipment or arms of any kind, the recruits were judged to be ready by May 1915, although its move to the fighting front was delayed by lack of rifle and artillery ammunition. The 14th (Light) Division served on the Western Front throughout the war.

The other Royal Engineers units in the division were the 61^st Field Company, the 89^th Field Company and the 14^th Divisional Signal Company. The Commander Royal Engineers (CRE) of the division was Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Frederick Sargeaunt, R.E. As a Warrant Officer Class II, Frank Pearce was probably assigned as the Company Sergeant Major of the 62^nd. As the Company Sergeant Major, Pearce would have been the senior Non-Commissioned Officer in the Company and the Officer Commanding the Company’s direct link to the Other Ranks in the Company. As a man in his late forties with 21 years of experience as a soldier, Pearce should have had no difficulty in dealing with the men in the company and was probably respected as well by the junior officers.

A Royal Engineers field company was composed of 217 men, as shown here.

• Major in command of the Company

• Captain second in command

• Three Lieutenants (or Second Lieutenants), one each commanding a Section

• 23 NCOs (Company Sergeant Major, Company Quartermaster Sergeant, Farrier

Sergeant, six Sergeants, seven Corporals, and seven 2nd-Corporals [a rank peculiar

to the Royal Engineers and Army Ordnance Corps])

• 186 other ranks (one Shoeing Smith, one Trumpeter, one Bugler, 138 Sappers, 37

Drivers, eight Batmen)

• Two attached Privates of the Royal Army Medical Corps for water duties

• One attached Driver of the Army Service Corps (not counted into strength as

officially he was part of the Divisional Train)

A detachment of the Field Company (a proportion of the above) was left at the Base, as reinforcements. The men were organized into two areas: Mounted (which included the CQMS, the Farrier, the Shoeing Smith, trumpeter, three NCOs and the drivers and batmen) and Dismounted. The latter represented many kinds of trades required by the army in the field, including in the numbers shown above 15 Blacksmiths, 20 Bricklayers, 40 Carpenters, five Clerks, 12 Masons, six Painters, eight Plumbers, plus surveyors, draughtsmen, wheelwrights, engine drivers and others.

The Field Company relied on horses for transport and had an establishment of 17 riding horses for the officers and NCOs of the Mounted Branch, plus 50 draught heavy horses, and four pack horses. There were also five spare draught horses as replacements. With the exceptions of the Trumpeter and Bugler, all other ranks were armed as infantrymen, carrying the Short Magazine Lee Enfield rifle.

Training and Preparation for War

His Majesty King George V inspected the company at Aldershot on 26 September 1914. In November 1914 the company moved from Aldershot into billets in the Guildford/Godalming area and on 18 February 1915 the company was at Hankley Common. On 18 May the company entrained for Southampton after a period of about 8 months of organizing, equipping and training. The company, along with other 14^th Division units, joined the British Expeditionary Force (B.E.F.) in France on 20 May 1915.¹⁰

Active Service (1915-1916)

Five days after his arrival in France, CSM Pearce and his company were at Watten, northwest of St. Omer. The company was soon to become involved in several significant actions. In June of 1915 the company lost 40442 Sergeant John James Walton, killed in action on 22 June, and 48724 Sapper William Devon who died of wounds on 25 June.

Battle of Hooge (19 July 1915)

On 2 June 1915, a German bombardment followed by an infantry, led to the loss of the ruins of the Hooge Chateau and Stables, then on 19 July, a large mine, the first using the explosive ‘Ammatol’, was exploded under the German trench positions at Hooge, and the crater was occupied by British troops while artillery quelled German attempts to recover the crater. The 14^th (Light) Division took part in this action supported by its divisional engineers. During this action the 62^nd Field Company lost 40730 Corporal Harold William Sanders and 40538 Sapper F.G. Gregory, both killed in action on 19 July, and 41212 Sapper Frank Wrigley, killed in action on 20 July.

Battle of Hooge (30-31 July 1915)

On 30 July 1915 the Germans launched an attack against the front of the 14^th (Light) Division to recover the Hooge Crater. The attack began at 3:15 am using flamethrowers with ‘jets of flame streaming from the German parapets rather like water might come from a large hose’.   This was the first use of these terrifying ‘fire weapons’ against the British. The Germans achieved complete surprise, and caused much confusion and panic amongst the British defenders. The British front line was evacuated. Another flamethrower attack that night was repulsed, and further efforts on 31 July came to nothing. A subsequent attack by the 6^th Division on 9 August 1915 regained all the ground lost, including the ruins of the Hooge Chateau Stables. The 14^th Division lost almost 2,500 men at Hooge on 30 July 1915. On 31 July Lieutenant Colonel Sargeaunt, CRE of the 14^th Division, was killed by shell fire while inspecting trenches in the division area. He was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel T.A.H. Bigge as the division’s CRE on 4 August. Fortunately for CSM Pearce’s 62^nd Field Company, the unit lost no men during this battle.

Battle of Hooge (9 August 1915)

Hooge was retaken by the British on 9 August 1915. The 62^nd Field Company took part in this action and suffered one man killed in action during the preparation for the battle, 89956 Sapper Thomas Wells (8 August) and one man who died of wounds, 41777 Lance Corporal Harry Watts (14 August), presumably from wounds sustained at Hooge.

Second Attack on Bellewaarde (25 September 1915)

The British attack on 25 September on the trenches held by the Germans in the vicinity of Hooge and Bellewaarde Lake was made with the object of distracting attention from a "full-dress" attempt to break through at Loos, away to the southward, and to contain the enemy's reserves. Like so many similar attacks, it entailed heavy losses to the attacking units. Despite the gallantry of the men, the attack failed to achieve its objective. There seems little doubt that the Germans were prepared for it. In a few short hours the 62^nd Field Company lost 10 men:

• 48371 Sapper Thomas Moore, killed in action.

• 45065 Sapper Harry Foxton, killed in action.

• 47851 Sapper Thomas Cameron, killed in action.

• 33481 Sapper William Henry Wright, killed in action.

• 63473 Sapper Ernest Barber, killed in action.

• 48738 Pioneer Edwin Jackson, killed in action.

• 58327 Sapper Fred Hutton, killed in action.

• 40246 Pioneer Alfred Richard Harnaman, died of wounds.

• 59676 Sapper James E. Sutherland, died of wounds

• 40074 Sapper John Payne, killed in action.

Battle of Delville Wood (15 July – 3 September 1916)

The Battle of Delville Wood was a series of engagements in the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Delville Wood (Bois d'Elville), was a thick tangle of trees, chiefly beech and hornbeam, with dense hazel thickets, intersected by grassy rides, to the east of Longueval. As part of a general offensive starting on 14 July, which became known as the Battle of Bazentin Ridge (14–17 July), General Douglas Haig, Commander of the British Expeditionary Force, intended to capture the German second position between Delville Wood and Bazentin le Petit.

The attack achieved this objective and was a considerable though costly success. British attacks and German counter-attacks on the wood continued for the next seven weeks, until just before the Battle of Flers–Courcelette (15–17 September), the third British general attack in the Battle of the Somme. The 1st South African Infantry Brigade made its Western Front début as part of the 9th (Scottish) Division and captured Delville Wood on 15 July. The South Africans held the wood until 19 July, at a cost in casualties similar to those of many British brigades on 1 July. The 62^nd Field Company took part in this action, losing three men; 41796 Sergeant Harold Grice (died of wounds on 16 July), 40097 Pioneer Sydney Horton (killed in action on 18 August), and 69927 Sapper James Edward Burrett (died of wounds on 25 August).

Battle of Flers-Courcelette (15-22 September 1916)

The Battle of Flers–Courcelette was fought during the Battle of the Somme, by the French Sixth Army and the British Fourth Army and Reserve Army, against the German 1st Army. The Anglo-French attack of 15 September began the third period of the Battle of the Somme but by its conclusion on 22 September, the strategic objective of a decisive victory had not been achieved. The infliction of many casualties on the German front divisions and the capture of the villages of Courcelette, Martinpuich and Flers had been a considerable tactical victory. The 14^th (Light) Division took part in the battle with the 62^nd Field Company in support. Fortunately, the company suffered no fatalities during the action.

CSM Pearce was with the 62^nd Field Company during all the major actions in which the unit took part in 1915 and 1916. He departed France on 5 November 1916. At 50 years and 26 days of age he certainly was too old for further service in a front-line unit like an R.E. field company. His age and his health probably required that he be reposted to the U.K. or perhaps that he even be discharged. The Army decided to keep him for a while longer.

Home Service (1916-1918)

On 6 November 1916 CSM Pearce was posted to the Royal Engineers Training Centre at Newark. His Regimental Number was changed to WR 200808 and he may have been place on restricted duty as an instructor. His service papers do not indicate his specific assignment. On 23 October 1917 he was transferred to Railway Troops as a Company Sergeant Major, again with no specific posting shown in his service papers. He remained with the Railway Troops until 14 December 1918 when was discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service. On this date he would have been 52 years and 64 days old. His conduct at the time of his discharge was noted to be “Very Good” as one would expect from a senior Non-Commissioned officer with his experience and determination to serve. On the day of his discharge his total service during the Great War was reckoned at 4 years and 104 days.

On 11 January 1919 he was awarded the Silver War Badge, Number B75239 due to illness. The award was presented at the Railway Troops Depot. He was examined at the Royal Hospital as a Pensioner on 7 October 1919. For his service during the Great War, Pearce was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

The following sections are presented in tabular form to summarize Company Sergeant Major Pearce’s promotions, appointments, military training and qualifications and the medals that he was awarded during his time in the Army from 1888 to 1918. They are provided to give the reader easy access to these aspects of his military career. The tables are followed by sections dealing with his personal information and post-service life.

7. PROMOTIONS

8. CONDUCT

Disciplinary Actions

There are no notices of disciplinary action in his service papers.

Good Conduct Badges

9. MEDALS, AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Frank Pearce was awarded the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Edward VII) in 1907 upon completion of 18 years of service with the Colours. Although he served during the period of the South African War (1899-1902) he did not arrive in South Africa in time to earn either the Queen’s or the King’s South Africa Medal. For his service during the Great War of 1914-1918 he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Pearce’s Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is in the author’s collection. The whereabouts of his Great War medals is not known.

Figure 3. The Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
of 23136 Company Sergeant Major Frank Pearce.
(Photograph from the author’s collection)

Pearce was a Sergeant in 1907 when the medal was awarded to him, so it is named to him on the rim in engraved upper-case letters as follows:

23136 SJT. F.PEARCE. R.E.

His trio of Great War medals would look like this:

Figure 4. The Great War Trio.
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)

According to the medal rolls, the 1914-15 Star would be named to him as:¹¹

44402 C.S.M. F. PEARCE. R.E.

The British War Medal and Victory Medal would be named to him as:¹²

WR 200808 W.O.II. FRANK PEARCE. R.E.

As previously mentioned, CSM Pearce had also been awarded the Silver War Badge.¹³ This badge was issued in the United Kingdom and the British Empire to service personnel who had been honorably discharged due to wounds or sickness from military service in the Great War of 1914-1918.

10. EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Qualifications

11. MEDICAL INFORMATION

During all his years of service from 1888 to 1909 and from 1914 to 1918, Frank Pearce’s military records show that he never was hospitalized or treated for a medical procedure of a specific ailment. His discharge from the Army in 1918 as “no longer physically fit for service” must have been associated with his age. His Silver War Badge was issued to him “due to illness,” but a specific illness was never specified in his records.

12. FAMILY AND PERSONAL INFORMATION

Parents

Some details of Frank Pearce’s parents were presented in Section 2 of this narrative. His mother, Fanny Pearce, died in Petersfield, Hampshire in October 1876 at the age of 54. His father, Ezekiel Pearce, died in Alresford in January 1878 at the age of 52. Life was hard in the early to mid-Victorian period and the longevity of most people was not that great.

Children

Frank and Henrietta Pearce had only one child, Helen Louise, who was born in Aldershot in 1907. Helen married William John Dennis at Farnham, Surrey in July 1929. No additional information regarding Helen could be found during this research.

Siblings

Frank Pearce’s half-sister, Eli zabeth Hobbs (1843-1921) died in Portsmouth on 15 September 1921. She is the only sibling that Pearce was known to have.

11. POST SERVICE LIFE

In 1939 Frank Pearce was living at 21 Eggars Hill in Aldershot. He was a retired Water Inspector. It appears that Frank returned to his water supply position in Aldershot following the Great War.

Figure 5. 21 Eggars Hill, Aldershot.
(Image courtesy of Google Earth)

Frank Pearce prepared his Last Will and Testament on 9 February 1951 while he was living at 10 Park Avenue in Widley, Hampshire. He was 85 years old at the time and may have been in ill health. He died on 22 November 1951. His body was found at 38 Merrivale Road, North End, Portsmouth. Apparently, he was living alone and his body was found by his son-in-law, or perhaps by his daughter, during a visit to his home. Tragically he died without a loved one at his side.

Pearce’s death certificate indicates that he was a retired Warrant Officer, Royal Engineers. The causes of his death were listed as: Ia Cardiac failure. Ib. Coronary thrombosis and II. Senile decay. His son-in-law, W.J. Dennis, was in attendance (the informant) of his death. Pearce’s death was registered on 23 November 1951 by S.E. Rumbold, the Deputy Registrar for Portsmouth North. Probate of Frank Pearce’s will took place in London on 11 December 1951. His effects amounting to £240, 12 shillings and 11 pence (about $9,900 US in 2022 currency) went to his daughter, Helen Louise Dennis.

ANNEX A.

Fatal Casualties in the 62^nd Field Company, Royal Engineers In France and Flanders During the Great War of 1914-1918

(Names listed by date of death)

TABLE NOTES:

1. All men are recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Soldiers Died in the Great War and Officers Died in the Great War.

2. Where Cause of Death is listed as “Died” the man died of disease or the result of an accident.

3. “D of W” indicates died of wounds received in action.

4. “KIA” indicated killed in action.

GENERAL NOTES:

1. Total Number of Fatalities (1914-1919): 49 (22 of whom died while Pearce was serving with the company)

2. Deaths by Rank: Officers; 3 (6.1%). Senior Non-Commissioned Officers; 3 (6.1%). Junior Non-Commissioned Officers; 4 (8.2%). Other Ranks; 39 (79.6%)

1. Majors: 1

2. Lieutenants: 2

3. Warrant Officers: 1

4. Sergeants: 2

5. Corporals: 1

6. 2^nd Corporals: 2

7. Lance Corporals: 1

8. Sappers: 30

9. Pioneers: 4

10. Drivers: 4

11. Shoeing Smiths: 1

1. Deaths by Years of the War:

1. 1915: 18 (36.7%)

2. 1916: 8 (16.3%)

3. 1917: 11 (22.4%)

4. 1918: 11 (22.4%)

5. 1919: 1 (2.2%)

1. Top Three Deadliest Months due to Combat Operations:

1. September 1915: 10 (20.4%)

2. July 1917: 5 (10.2%)

3. August 1918: 7 (14.3%)

1. Causes of Death:

1. Disease or Accident: 3 (6.1%)

2. Killed in Action: 35 (71.4%)

3. Died of Wounds: 11 (22.5%)

REFERENCES

Books

1. GRIERSON, J.M. Scarlet Into Khaki: The British Army on the Eve of the Boer War. Greenhill Books, London, 1988, p. 241.

2. FARWELL, B. Mr. Kipling’s Army: All the Queen’s Men W.W. Norton & Company, New York, 1981, p.228.

3. INSTITUTION OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. The History of the Corps of Royal Engineers. Volume V. The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent, 1952.

Census

1. 1871 Census of England.

2. 1881 Census of England.

3. 1891 Census of England.

4. 1901 Census of Ireland.

5. 1911 Census of England and Wales.

6. 1939 England and Wales Register.

Documents

1. Last Will and Testament of Frank Pearce, 9 February 1951.

2. Certified Copy of an Entry of Death, Portsmouth North, 23 November 1951.

3. Certified Copy of an Entry of Death, Portsmouth North, 29 June 1994, General Register Office DXZ 203648.

4. 1951 Probate Calendar.

5. U.K. Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005.

Family Tree

1. Ezekiel Pearce

https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/290702/person/122172615768/facts

2. Frank Pearce

https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/290702/person/122172615045/facts?_phsrc=hFr119&_phstart=successSource

3. Wikipedia: Shorncliffe Army Camp

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shorncliffe_Army_Camp

Internet Web Sites

1. UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Admissions and Discharges, 1715-1925

2. The Long, Long Trail: 14^th (Light) Division.

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/14th-light-division/

Periodicals

1. Royal Engineers Monthly List, June 1908, p. xxi.

2. Monthly Army List, February 1917, p. 817.

3. The Sapper, January 1952, p. 17.

4. Battle Honours of the Royal Engineers. The Royal Engineers Journal, The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent, 1925-1932.

Research Work

GASE, STUART. Company Moves of the Royal Engineers During the Great War. West Drayton, Middlesex, 2000.

Service Papers (23136)

1. Short Service Attestation

2. Description on Enlistment

3. Certificate of Primary Medical Examination

4. Certificate of Final Medical Examination

5. Certificate of Primary Military Examination

6. Certificate of Approving Field Officer

7. Medical History

8. Hospital Admission Form

9. Statement of Services

10. Military History Sheet

11. Payment Memorandum for Death Certificate

Service Papers (WR 200808)

1. Army Reserve (Special Reservist) 1 Years’ Service Attestation

2. Description on Enlistment

3. Certificate of Medical Examination

4. Certificate of Primary Military Examination

5. Certificate of Approving Officer

6. Statement of Services

7. Military History Sheet

8. Medal Index Card

9. Medal Roll: 1914-15 Star

10. Medal Roll: British War Medal and Victory Medal

11. Silver War Badge Roll, Royal Engineers I.W.& D.

ENDNOTES: